or קָו; from קָוָה (compare קָוֶה); a cord (as connecting), especially formeasuring; figuratively, a rule; also a rim, a musical string or accord; line. Compare קַו־קַוlemma קַו־קַי yod, corrected to קַו־קַו.
### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **qav**, represented by `{{H6957}}`, is a term for a **line** or **cord**. It appears 21 times across 15 unique verses in the Bible. Its base definition is a cord used for measuring, but it is also used figuratively to signify a rule or standard.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In biblical usage, `{{H6957}}` appears in both literal and figurative contexts. Literally, it is a measuring tool, used by craftsmen to measure the molten sea in the temple [[1 Kings 7:23]] or by a carpenter marking out wood [[Isaiah 44:13]]. It is also the tool used by a man in Ezekiel's vision to measure the temple grounds [[Ezekiel 47:3]]. Figuratively, it is used by God to set a standard. In the book of Job, God asks who "hath stretched the line upon" the earth during creation [[Job 38:5]]. The word is also used to describe the repetitive nature of instruction, as in the phrase "line upon line" [[Isaiah 28:10]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help define the function and context of a **line**:
* `{{H4949}}` **mishqeleth** (a plummet): This term for a weight or plummet is often used in direct parallel with `qav`, as when the LORD lays "Judgment also... to the line, and righteousness to the plummet" [[Isaiah 28:17]]. It is also paired with the line of judgment against Jerusalem [[2 Kings 21:13]].
* `{{H5186}}` **nâṭâh** (to stretch or spread out): This is the primary verb describing the action associated with a measuring line. It is used when God stretches a line over creation [[Job 38:5]], over Jerusalem for destruction [[Lamentations 2:8]], and also over Jerusalem for restoration [[Zechariah 1:16]].
* `{{H4060}}` **middâh** (a measure): This word, meaning measure or size, appears with `qav` to form the phrase "measuring line" in the context of Jerusalem's future restoration [[Jeremiah 31:39]].
* `{{H8279}}` **sered** (a scribing-awl): This marking tool is used by a carpenter alongside his rule `{{H6957}}` and compass to mark out a figure [[Isaiah 44:13]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H6957}}` is seen in its use as a divine instrument of purpose and precision.
* **Standard for Judgment:** The **line** serves as God's inflexible standard for judgment. God vows to "stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria" [[2 Kings 21:13]] and to "stretch out upon it the line of confusion" [[Isaiah 34:11]], signifying a precise and unalterable decree of destruction.
* **Standard for Restoration:** In the same way it measures for destruction, the **line** is also used to measure for merciful restoration. God promises that "a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem" when His house is rebuilt [[Zechariah 1:16]].
* **Principle of Divine Order:** The term signifies the orderliness of God's work. The heavens declare God's glory, and "Their line is gone out through all the earth" [[Psalms 19:4]], suggesting a universal, orderly testimony. The phrase "line upon line" also reflects a structured, if elementary, form of teaching [[Isaiah 28:13]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H6957}}` is far more than a physical measuring cord. It is a powerful symbol of a fixed standard. Whether used by a craftsman building the temple [[1 Kings 7:23]], by God establishing the foundations of the earth [[Job 38:5]], or as a metaphor for divine judgment [[2 Kings 21:13]] and restoration [[Zechariah 1:16]], the **line** represents precision, order, and an unyielding standard. It demonstrates how a simple, everyday object can convey the profound theological concept of God's unwavering purpose.
TRV